Last Thursday’s XR Hub launch in Strandhill marks an exciting step forward for immersive technology in Ireland. Not only does it create a new centre for innovation in the North West, it will also serve as the home of the immersive technologies apprenticeship being delivered with Mayo Sligo Leitrim Education and Training Board - a vital pathway for developing the next generation of talent. In the meantime the Level 5 Immersive Technology training there is building capacity and train the trainer capabilities across Ireland.

It has been our pleasure at Eirmersive to support the development of the apprenticeship, by helping to strengthen the connection between education and industry, to ensure the programme is informed by real sector needs and emerging practice.

In Strandhill Eirmersive members were out in force. Paul O'Brien & Celine Hayden from Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board brought their VR Healthcare demo.

Recently I got to experience Outernet London - 'an immersive entertainment district bringing together breath-taking arts, culture and music experiences for all the family.'

And the thing that really hit me (you’ll see it in the video) is the scale. The screens aren’t “big” - they’re architectural. You’re not watching content, you’re inside it.

People are just walking in from the Tube station and suddenly they’re surrounded by these beatuiful stories and interactive experiences, no headset, no setup, no booking! - just straight into an immersive experience. Interesting shift and an interesting business model. Outernet seed fund artistic content funded by the massive marketing led billboards on the outside of the building.

We talk a lot about XR in terms of devices and demos, but this is different - this is shared, public, accessible, cultural experience at city scale.

Watch the video…

[It’s not too late to join the PRISM Programme - submit your Expression of Interest below]

Manufacturing companies across Ireland recently joined us online for the PRISM: Practical, Funded Innovation Support for Manufacturing SMEs – Programme Introduction webinar (watch the recording in full below). The session brought together manufacturers, technology providers and programme partners to explore how practical innovation support can help address real operational challenges on the factory floor.

If you didn’t attend live, here’s the key takeaway: PRISM isn’t about experimenting with shiny technology, it’s about solving real problems, with support, funding and expert guidance.

MSLETB XRHub Sligo is enrolling for the QQI Level 5 course in Immersive Technologies, Micro Qualification – Train the Trainer, Teaching with VR.

This programme gives instructors the skills, language, and hands-on experience needed to safely and effectively deliver VR learning in the classrooms.

What you will learn

• Clear understanding of VR, AR, and MR terminology
• How to set up, operate, and troubleshoot VR headsets
• Safe-use, hygiene, accessibility, and learner-comfort
guidelines
• How immersive tools are being used in education & skills development
• How to structure and supervise meaningful VR/AR learning activities…

Janet Beck, CEO at GLASSEYE, capped off a high-profile start to 2026 by speaking on the panel “Real-World Immersion at Scale: The Future of Spatial” at SXSW, the world renowned festival of innovation, technology, and culture. GLASSEYE is an award-winning creative technology studio based in Kilkenny, specialising in the production of immersive experiences at architectural scale. Working across large-format LED environments, XR and interactive media, the agency is known internationally for combining technical innovation with strong creative vision and narrative depth, creating experiences that are both memorable and meaningful.

At SXSW Janet shared how GLASSEYE designed 'The Intelligence Garden' at Outernet London (see below), along with some of the new experiences they currently have in production, and her thoughts on the future of spatial design.

Eirmersive was delighted to welcome ATU as a new member recently. We’ve been hugely impressed by the coordinated approach they have to embedding the use of Immersive Technologies across the university, as underlined in a news update from John Hough, Educational Technology Specialist, Immersive Learning.

By John Hough

Immersive Learning at Atlantic Technological University: Building Momentum Across Disciplines

The ATU Teaching and Learning Centre has been working to establish an immersive learning initiative across the university. This began with the purchase of 20 Meta Quest 3 headsets and a charging cart, located in the Dublin road campus library, creating a shared pool of devices that lecturers can use to pilot immersive learning activities with their students.

Across Europe, cities are rethinking how they plan, communicate, and deliver major infrastructure projects. Galway is now part of that conversation.

At a Galway City Council meeting, councillors highlighted the potential of 3D and virtual reality technologies to transform how large public projects are presented, reviewed, and understood by decision‑makers and the public alike. The proposal focuses on using immersive visualisation to explore infrastructure schemes before they reach construction, helping to surface issues earlier and support more informed choices during planning and consultation stages. Rather than relying solely on static drawings, photo montages, or written planning documents, fully 3D and VR‑based models can allow stakeholders to experience projects at a human scale.

The Irish Independent reported that,…

It was great to be in Luxembourg this week at the Immersive Pavilion Luxembourg as part of the Luxembourg City Film Festival.

I had the pleasure of representing the Irish XR ecosystem alongside Jo Mangan of The Performance Corporation (an Eirmersive member) and Conn Holohan of the Centre for Creative Technologies at University of Galway on the Focus on Ireland: The Irish XR Ecosystem panel discussion. It was a great opportunity to share the energy and collaboration shaping immersive work across Ireland.

A highlight was meeting Jean McDonald Ireland’s Ambassador to Luxembourg and discussing the strength of Ireland’s creative technology sector and the opportunity for deeper international collaboration.

The pavilion featured a fantastic selection of immersive works including: